The Final Fight
by msuarez95
Summary: The ultimate battle between good and evil: the final fight between Link and Ganondorf at the end of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. However, this story isn't quite how you may remember it... A re-imagined ending to one of the best video game epics of all time. One-shot. Rated T for violence and some course language. COMPLETE.


DISCLAIMER: All characters, locations, and some dialogue belong to Nintendo. I own basically nothing aside from the narration of this fanfiction.

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 **The Final Fight**

My only regret about this whole ordeal is killing him from behind and not from the front. I would have loved nothing more than for him to watch me deal him his long-deserved death, and to look him in his eyes as the life was drained from the bastard's body.

I twist my blade harshly and pull it out from his back. He emits a guttural noise as he grips his wound and falls to his knees. I walk around his crumpling, convulsing form, and then we're face to face.

His blood is warm and red. I don't know what else I expected. I guess it just goes to show that in the end, we're all only human. It pools around my boots. Walk in a man's shoes, and you know his story. Walk in a man's blood, and you end it.

He leers up at me with a look of mocking in his features, and his head rolls on his neck.

"The Great Evil King Ganondorf … beaten by this kid…" he says contemptuously. Then he laughs, or tries to, it's choked by a gargle of blood in his throat.

What happens next happens in a mere instant. Ganondorf's eyes begin to glow with an unnatural intensity. Beams of noxious green light pour from his sockets and his neck snaps backward so that his face is skyward.

A voice belonging to Ganondorf shouts my name to the heavens, although his lips do not move. His unearthly cry reverberates all around the room and shatters the stain glass windows spanning the entire perimeter of the hall. The stone walls around me begin to crumble.

I put my arms over my head to protect myself, but nothing happens.

When the dust settles, the first thing I notice is Ganondorf lying on the floor in an ever-blooming pool of his own blood. He is finally dead.

I look out to the distance. All I can see is the utter ruin and devastation that once was Hyrule. The handiwork of the corpse lying at my feet.

Princess Zelda descends from the air. I turn to face her as her crystal prison dissipates into nothing. Her golden curls swirl with the wind as she turns to face him.

"Ganondorf… pitiful man… Without a strong, righteous mind, he could not control the power of the gods… and–" a violent rumbling stops Zelda mid-sentence and she stumbles, gasping in fear.

An ominous cloud appears above our heads and that creeping anxiety wells up in me again.

A sudden, icy rain begins to pour down from the heavens and lightning rips across the dark, stormy sky. A clap of thunder shakes the foundations of the earth, and the tower starts to sway dangerously beneath our feet.

She whips back to me and with an urgent, knowing look in her eyes, says to me, "Link, listen to me! This tower will collapse soon! With his last breath, Ganondorf is trying to crush us in the ruins of the tower. We need to hurry and escape!"

It takes me a moment to register what she says before I'm able to snap myself from this momentary paralysis. I need no further explanation. I take her hand in mine, and together we bolt for the long, winding, and treacherously crumbling staircase.

At first, we practically fly down the stairs, taking two at a time. Over the roar of the wind, thunder, and rain, I hear Zelda chant prayers to herself in ancient tongue… I don't know what she's praying for, but I'm just praying these damn stairs don't give out before we reach the bottom.

We reach the end of the stairs along the outside of the castle. The only way to progress is to enter the castle again. Upon this realization, I notice the thick wrought iron grate blocking the door back in.

In a desperate attempt to do something – anything – I grab hold of it and pull as hard as I can.

Zelda rests a gloved hand on my shoulder and I stop to look at her. Her blue eyes shine with determination. She raises her arms high and casts a spell. A warm, pink light shines through the darkness, and the grate lifts.

The two of us continue through a room and then exit back out to another staircase, once again hugging the outer walls of the tower. I try to focus on the steps and not the nothingness below them, with quick but careful footing. Still taking two stairs at a time, hearts pounding, sweat dripping, I suddenly hear a sickening crack.

A moment of weightlessness follows having the foundation ripped from under your feet. My stomach lurches, and my limbs flail about. I've had my fair share of falls, but I know I'm not going to survive this one if I don't find something to grab onto.

I think to myself that at least it was me and not Zelda.

I hear her scream my name, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her extend an arm with an outstretched hand.

Instinct takes over. A broken stone jutting out from the gap I'm falling through will have to do. As I grab it, I feel my body jerk and I just hang there for a minute, suspended, feet dangling, with only the unforgiving expanse of nothing between me and the ground. My knuckles go white from the strain, and I struggle – I struggle so hard but it's for naught, I can't pull myself up.

Then Zelda's hands are wrapped around my arms and she's pulling with all her might.

I see a guardian angel – strong, determined, and beautiful. Blue eyes the color of ancient sea, shining through the darkness – a beacon of hope, and a portal into wisdom beyond her years.

A sudden burst of adrenaline fills my blood, and my veins bulge as I try harder to pull myself up. Everything aches and my body screams in protest, but somehow our combined efforts are enough to save my life.

As much as I feel the animalistic urge to escape, my body won't let me. I find that I need to sit with my back against the wall for a few moments as I try to steady my breath and slow my heartbeat.

Zelda abruptly flings her arms around me, embracing me tightly. "I thought I was going to lose you," she cries shakily in my ear over the roar of the wind.

I return her embrace and hold her tightly, enveloping her small form. Despite what seems to be the apocalypse happening around us, her heartbeat and the feel of her breasts held against my chest brings a momentary solace that I desperately cling to. I find myself wishing for it not to ever end – tenderly holding close this woman who I care for endlessly, yet hardly even know.

I feel her stir in my arms and she says "I don't know how much time we have left. Come on, let's keep going."

She helps me to my feet and we start down the stairs again, albeit a bit slower now for the sake of caution. I follow after her, keeping close watch at the condition of the stairs.

The earth below still tremors violently. A large chunk of the tower slides off from higher above and plummets to the earth below. Ganondorf's fortress is completely falling apart.

We reach another grate that leads inside once more. We're almost out – it's just a little bit further. The anticipation of nearing safety is palpable. Zelda casts her spell to raise the bars and we enter.

It's oddly quiet in this room. Too quiet.

I slow my pace and then come to an abrupt halt, but Zelda continues ahead of me with blind haste. I survey the room, looking for signs of danger, but I see none. I tread forward with trepidation.

A loud shuffle emanates from behind a fallen pillar to my right. Now alert and ready, my whole body jerks in the direction of the noise and I draw my sword.

Before I can even determine the source of the noise, a dangerously small ring of flames bursts to life around Zelda and she cries out in pain. Three large Stalfos appear from behind various vantage points around the room – two heading straight for the Princess.

I quickly run to her aid and take care of the first by slamming its open chest with my shield and then slashing at its brittle bones with my blade. It doesn't even get a chance to defend itself before it disintegrates into a pile of dust.

I then charge for the second one advancing on the Princess, bashing in its empty skull with the hilt of the weapon. The third Stalfos flanks me, and I think fast by kicking it in its ribs.

Angrily, they both come for me at once. I run to the other side of the room, pulling their attention away from her.

The one who reaches me first raises its sword high, leaving its middle open. I slash at its chest, inflicting critical damage. And like that, the second is down, a mound of dust on the floor.

Only one more remains, but I don't see it until it rams into my shoulder from the left side, sending me flying to the right, skidding across the floor as my sword and shield scrape loudly against the concrete.

Clutching my shoulder, I pull myself back onto my feet. I'm up, but I'm not steady, and now I've got an awkward sword-arm. He charges for me again but this time I'm ready, and I jump out of the way and get behind him.

I slash at his backside somewhat sloppily, landing a minor hit, and then he turns around and thrusts his sword back at me. I raise my shield just in time and feel the vibration up my arm, the shield absorbing the impact of the blow. His blade skids across the metal surface and he stumbles.

Finally, I'm able to land a fatal strike and the last Stalfos breaks apart and falls to dust. The fire around Zelda sputters out and dies, and she drops to the ground, clutching her left wrist with a pained expression.

I run over to her and gently take her hand. The long, white satin glove she wore is mostly burned off, and what's left is singed and in tatters. Her hand is red, raw and severely burned; marred with nasty blisters and charred skin. The color drains from her face upon seeing it. She covers her mouth with her free hand as she gasps in revulsion.

I reach into my pouch and pull out a bottled fairy. The wounds are fresh, so this should work. It's worth a try. I have to try. I owe her that much and more.

She looks at me in confusion, biting her bottom lip. "Isn't that the only one you have?" she asks.

I give her a reassuring smile as I yank the cork from the bottle. It is, in fact, my last fairy. But as soon as we get out of this tower, I shouldn't need it anymore.

The pink fairy floats out of the glass jar, its small delicate wings fluttering about. She hovers to Zelda's injured hand and glides around it, casting a healing light on the burn. All the blisters and bloody scars close up and the skin reverts back to its porcelain-like quality.

A breath escapes her, like she'd been holding it for a while, and a soft smile graces her lips. I take her hand back and softly lay a kiss upon it.

And I don't know if it's just the heat in here, but I swear that I saw her blush.

I stand and help her to her feet. Most of the more violent tremors seemed to have ceased, but we are still inside the fortress.

Zelda and I quickly make our way to the last staircase, hurry down, and at last we come to the ground floor.

Finally, we reach the main entrance. Great iron bars block the way out, but Zelda simply casts her spell once more and the large grate lifts. We run out of the tower, not even daring to look behind us.

Once outside, we watch the tower finally give in. It groans in protest as pillars come crashing down, one after the other. Hunks of rock slide off the sides, glass shatters, and wood splinters. Floor into floor, it collapses in on itself and falls to the ground, leaving waste to the enormous citadel.

The dust rises and eventually settles, leaving in its wake a scene of utter destruction. A broken castle to match a broken kingdom; a broken crown to match a broken king… But with hope and determination, this would be fixed in time.

Zelda and I breathe a sigh of relief as the rain slows and the world grows silent once more. We merely stand there for a moment, taking it all in.

"It's over… it's finally over…" she murmured.

Lost in my thoughts, my adrenaline level declining at a fairly rapid pace, I feel a light touch on my shoulder somewhere within the world of reality. I turn my head to see Zelda looking up at me.

"Link, I–" she's cut off by a loud rumbling from the rubble.

It's not over… not yet.

She freezes and I take a protective stance in front of her, drawing my blade once again. We stand there, not daring to breathe, waiting for something to happen. But there is nothing but silence. An uncomfortable, heavy silence.

Zelda sends me a worried glance and I lower my sword. I slowly walk toward where the sound came from with a feeling of dread in the pit of my gut.

By now, my entire body is aching from the exertion of this whole ordeal and I can barely stand. But I slowly make my way over to the mountain of rubble from which the noise came.

As I cautiously approach, none other than Ganondorf himself bursts from the wreckage in a fiery rage, eyes blazing with fury and malice. Levitating high above me, he brandishes the back of his hand and the Triforce of Power begins to glow.

A force field appears around me, preventing escape or assistance. I turn around and see Zelda run up and place her hands on the barrier, but she immediately recoils in pain.

I quickly refocus on Ganondorf and watch as what once was the dying King of Evil morphs into a hideous beast covered in fur. Great horns, grizzly snout, monstrous hooves, scaly tail. As if its positively massive size isn't enough, the creature unsheathes two impossibly large blades from thin air – wielding one in each clawed hand.

This is no ordinary monster. This is Ganon.

Tears of frustration and hopelessness well in my eyes and water my vision. I take a stance as if I somehow intend to win and blink the tears away. Ganon takes the initiative; he swings with his right arm. I duck and roll in between his legs to avoid the blow.

Suddenly, I'm breathless and flying through the air, and my body slams into a boulder. I think I was hit with his tail from behind, but I'm not sure. Upon standing up, I feel an immense pain on my side. I can only assume I now have broken ribs. With every breath I take, I see stars.

The problem with facing creatures ten times your size is that the story of David and Goliath is only a myth.

Ganon's legs are covered in scales which turn into hooves, and his scales are like armor – my blade cannot pierce them. The only part of him that is both exposed and reachable is what appears to be an inexplicably fleshy piece of his tail.

It's a longshot, but I suppose if I could just slash at his tail to provoke him, I could lure him to some of the smaller boulders and try to trip him, leaving his eyes and face vulnerable to attack.

Through near-blinding pain, I jump into action, dodging another epic downward slash. The boulder that was just behind me is now reduced to rubble by the force of the blow.

I run between his legs again and slice a decent sized gash into Ganon's tail; however, to him, it feels nothing more than a mosquito bite. He roars in aggravation and is only further angered.

I catch a glimpse of Zelda and become distracted for a fraction of a second, but this is just enough time for Ganon to knock the Master Sword from my hand and over the barrier. It clatters on the ground right in front of the Princess.

I tear my eyes from her and look up at the beast, paralyzed with shock.

Ganon violently whips his tail and sends me flying into the magic barrier. My back makes impact and I, too, now know the pain. White-hot, searing pain engulfs me. I fall to the ground face first. He kicks me onto my back, digging his hoof deep into my broken side. I cry out in agony and hear a matched one from Zelda.

I turn my head to face her. She's on the ground, trying desperately to pick up my sword, but of course it can't be held by anyone but me. Tears are streaming down her face and broken sobs wrack her small form.

She looks up at me and I see the panic and uncertainty in her eyes. I see the fear. Fear for me, fear for herself, fear for the future.

Looking at her, I'm ashamed to admit that I simply can't get up again. I'm too weak, too exhausted, and feeling utterly defeated. Maybe fate is cruel. Or maybe I just wasn't ready. I feel the tears coming again, but I hold them back, for her. I don't want her to see me cry.

I wonder, if things had been different, if I'd ever have had a chance with her… I try to call out to her but I can't find my voice, so I simply mouth the word to her:

 _Run._

Suddenly, blinding pain.

Zelda's scream.

Blood. Blood everywhere.

Then, nothingness.

I … I've failed. I am so sorry, for I have failed you, Princess.

May we meet again, in another life.

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AN: So obviously, this story depicts the ending of Ocarina of Time that we never saw – The Hero Is Defeated arc of the Hyrule Historia timeline which leads into the Era of Decline and The Last Hero.

Although sad, I felt that it needed to be written. I tried to use as much exact dialogue from the game as possible, and it was important to me (for this story at least) to keep up with the notion that Link doesn't actually speak.

In other fanfictions I've written (and will continue to write), he does have his own dialogue; however, since this was the story of the Final Fight from the game, I wanted to keep intact the game's authenticity and stay true to the tale.

I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review and feel free to follow me for updates. I'm hoping to start a new multi-chapter Zelda fanfiction soon. :)


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